City boda-boda cyclists to hold fresh elections

Boda-boda cyclists meeting with Kampala Minister, Beti Kamya resolved that they hold fresh elections to get rid of the present leadership of the 2010 association, as a way of resolving wrangles in their industry.

Over 20 associations met at the Office of the President these included:  Kampala Capital City Authority(KCCA) officials Betty Kamya ,Kampala Metropolitan Traffic Commander, Norman Musinga, Police Commander Kampala Metropolitan Frank Mwesigwa. All were in agreement that they will have fresh registration.

Others who attended were Kampala Resident City Commissioners, in charge of Makindye division Henry Kitambula.

"Once we get rid to the leaders who are still holding the offices we are ready to have elections and registration. Some of us wanted to register when KCCA, came up with the directive but we were blocked by some leaders in the 2010 association," Diris Mugyanya chairman Nakawa riders association .

 Kamya in her response to their concerns said that the Attorney General, George Byaruhanga will in a few months' time come up with a National Law for the riders which will be drafted with guidance from the different stakeholders as one of the ways to streamline their industry.

She however emphasized that they will have to wait for the law which will have guidelines of who is a member, who should be registered and who is eligible to participate in the elections among other guidelines. "In this Law we want all the members to be registered and then we shall also have elections of boda-bodas," Kamya said.

 The riders also told Kamya that an inter-ministerial committee be set up which will involve ministries of gender, internal affairs, security and finance which will guide the riders as well.

Kamya also requested police to withdraw all bikes which were confiscated by the alleged 2010 members. The meeting comes as a follow up on the wrangles which have escalated in the boda-boda business. 

In 2013, KCCA mobilized Boda-boda cyclists for a massive registration exercise, but were frustrated by a few boda- boda associations on grounds that they are in charge of the industry in Kampala. Only 54,000 were registered.

KCCA's Eng. Andrew Kitaka told the riders that KCCA intention was to have an organized city and bring order in the transport industry adding that all riders should operate at gazetted stages, have a riders' permit and reflect jackets.

He said that KCCA's move was to have the riders trained, given numbers after registration for each stage division there were going to be given particular colors.

Mwesigwa told the riders that they are the major causes of accidents in the city which has led government to spend close to 1.5bn on victims of boda-boda accidents.